The new and distinct variety of nectarine originated from an F2 population of a hand pollinated cross of Arkansas Peach Selection 190 (non-patented)xc3x97Arkansas Nectarine Selection 178 (non-patented) made in 1980 at the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station Fruit Substation at Clarksville, Ark. The parent plants used in this hybridization have not been named and released and are unavailable in commerce.
Plants and fruit of this new variety differ phenotypically from its parents. The new variety is earlier ripening and possesses glabrous fruit with more red skin color and better flavor than the pubescent fruit of the parent Arkansas Peach Selection 190, and is later ripening, has larger fruit and is more productive than the parent Arkansas Nectarine Selection 178. The new variety produces more attractive and more flavorful fruit than either of its parents. Both the parents and the instant variety are the genus and species Prunus persica. 
The F2 seeds resulting from this controlled hybridization were germinated in a greenhouse in the spring of 1985 and planted in a field on the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station in Clarksville, Ark. The seedlings fruited during the summer of 1988 and one, designated Arkansas 402, was selected for its large, firm, attractive fruits, and healthy, bacterial spot-resistant plants. During 1988, the original plant selection was propagated asexually, at the above noted location, by budding onto standard peach rootstock variety xe2x80x98Lovellxe2x80x99 (non-patented) and a test plot of two plants was established. Subsequently, larger test plantings have been established with asexually multiplied plants (propagated at the same location) at two additional locations in Arkansas (Clarksville and Hope, Ark.).
The new variety has been asexually multiplied several times since 1988 at this location by budding onto each rootstock variety xe2x80x98Lovellxe2x80x99 and no incompatibility with peach rootstock has occurred following budding. During all asexual multiplication, the characteristics of the original plant have been maintained and no aberrant phenotypes have appeared.
Plants of the new variety are moderately vigorous and are standard in size in comparison to other nectarine or peach trees (Prunus persica). Trees are very productive, and show good resistance to infection by bacterial spot, incited by Xanthomonas campestris pv. pruni (Smith) Dye. The new variety is consistently more resistant to both fruit and leaf infections of bacterial spot than the comparison nectarine varieties xe2x80x98Redgoldxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 1,329) and xe2x80x98Summer Beautxe2x80x99 (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,093). The new variety blooms in the spring near the same time as the comparison varieties xe2x80x98Redgoldxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Summer Beautxe2x80x99. No winter cold injury has been observed on wood or buds of the new variety in Arkansas tests where minimum temperatures have reached xe2x88x9223xc2x0 C. Chilling requirement to break dormancy is estimated to be 750 hours below 7xc2x0 C.
Fruit of the new variety ripens in early midseason, averaging 21 days earlier than the xe2x80x98Redgoldxe2x80x99 variety, 5 days earlier than the xe2x80x98Summer Beautxe2x80x99 variety, and near that of the reference peach variety xe2x80x98Redhavenxe2x80x99 (non-patented). Average ripening date is June 29 in west-central Arkansas. Fruits do not soften rapidly after maturity, and fruit quality is retained well on the tree after maturity for 5 to 7 days. Fruit yields of the new variety have been consistently higher than the xe2x80x98Redgoldxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Summer Beautxe2x80x99 varieties at all test locations. Yields are consistent from year to year.
The fruit of the new variety is round in shape, without a prominent tip or bulging suture. Fruits are attractive with light bright red skin color over orange ground color. Fruit finish is good with no blemishes. The fruit skin is medium in thickness and resistant to cracking. The flesh of the fruit is a clear uniform orange color without red pigment. The flesh of the fruit is non-melting in texture and very firm. Mature fruits are much more firm than those of the xe2x80x98Redgoldxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98Summer Beautxe2x80x99 varieties and storage ability is superior to the standard varieties due to this enhanced firmness. Fruit size is large, averaging 146.4 g, but careful management of crop load is needed to ensure good fruit size.
The fresh fruit rates good in flavor, but exhibits a strong processing peach flavor rather than a typical nectarine flavor. Soluble solids average 11.6%.
The distinctive features of the new variety are its large, attractive, very firm fruits, good yield potential, and its high resistance to fruit and leaf infection by the disease, bacterial spot.
The new variety has been named the xe2x80x98BRADLEYxe2x80x99 cultivar.